Bathinda: Punjab reported 294 new cases of crop residue burning on Monday, bringing the total number of farm fires during the ongoing wheat harvesting season to 8,221. This marks a significant decrease from the high numbers observed in the preceding days.
Decline in Daily Cases Brings Relief
The state had experienced a surge in farm fires over the past few days, with 1,447 cases recorded on May 8—the highest single-day tally this season. This was followed by 932 cases on May 9 and 841 on May 10. The drop to 294 cases on May 11 has provided some respite to authorities and environmentalists.
Legal Actions Intensify Against Farmers
Authorities have continued to take stringent legal action against farmers involved in stubble burning. According to the Punjab Pollution Control Board dashboard, a total of 376 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as of May 10 evening. Of these, 48 FIRs were lodged on May 10 alone.
The highest number of FIRs were reported in Sangrur district with 71 cases, followed by Patiala with 59, and Mansa and Fazilka with 51 each. In addition to FIRs, authorities have made 631 red entries in land records and imposed environmental compensation totaling Rs 60.7 lakh in 1,234 farm fire cases. So far, only Rs 3 lakh of this amount has been recovered.
Comparison with Other States
Madhya Pradesh reported 302 farm fire cases on Monday, while Uttar Pradesh recorded 217 and Haryana 55. According to data from CREAMS (Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space), Punjab has reported 8,221 farm fire cases this season, significantly fewer than Madhya Pradesh’s 35,742 and Uttar Pradesh’s 14,766.
Worst-Affected Districts in Punjab
Ferozepur remains the most affected district in Punjab, with 781 farm fire cases recorded up to May 11. It is followed by Bathinda with 689 cases, Tarn Taran with 681, Amritsar with 646, Sangrur with 639, and Moga with 636 cases. These districts continue to be hotspots for stubble burning despite ongoing enforcement efforts.
